Decorative illuminating device



Dec; 22, 1942 1.. POLLOCK,

DECORATIVE ILLUMINATING DEVICE Filed June 14, 1940 2 Shee tS -S heet 1 "1,11", 'IIIIIIA W INVENTOR 1 E0 POLLOCWK ATT RNEY 1942- 1.. POLLOCK 2,306,081

DECORATIVE ILLU MINATING DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 14, 1940 lNVENTOR [so Pou-o K BY ATiORNEY Patented Dec. 22, 1942 UNHTED STATES FATENT QFFICE 2,306,081 DECORATIVE ILLUMINATING DEVICE Leo Pollock, New York, N. Y. Application June 14, 1940, Serial No. 340,437

6 Claims.

This invention relates to decorative illuminating devices, for use for example during Christmas and other festive occasions.

One object of the invention is to provide a decorative device of the character described wherein a novel skeletal frame structure is employed which may be given a desired ornamental shape such as one simulating a and having means for holding in desired spaced relation decorative lamps to give the decorative illuminated effect.

Another object of my invention is to provide a device of the character described which shall be trim and attractive in appearance, rugged and compact in construction, easy to assemble and economical to manufacture.

Other objects of this invention will in part be obvious and in part hereinafter pointed out.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combinations of elements, and arrangement of parts which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter described, and of which the scope of application will be indi cated in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, in which are shown various possible embodiments of this invention and in which like numerals refer to like parts,

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an illuminating decorative device embodying my invention, simulating a Christmas tree;

Fig. 2 is a front elevational view in partial section showing one of the steps in assembling the tree shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the skeletal structure;

Fig. 4 is a Wiring diagram for the tree;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail showing a husk and husk holding member;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail in perspective of the trunk member;

Fig. 7 is an elevational view of the skeletal structure of a modified form of my invention; and

Fig. 8 is a wiring diagram for use with the skeletal structure shown in Fig. 7.

Referring now in detail to the drawings and more specifically to Figs. 1 through 6, I have there shown a decorative illuminated device I0 embodying my invention, simulating a Christma tree supported on a stand II.

The device It) comprises a skeletal structure or frame I2 of generally triangular outline. The

frame I2 may be fabricated from a single piece of relatively rigid suitably joined as wire, the ends thereof being by soldering or welding at I3,

" to form a socket receiving portion 24.

centrally of the base portion I4 of the triangular frame I2.

In accordance with my invention, the apex I5 and two inclined side arms I 6 are provided with a plurality of husk holding members H, which may be formed integrally with the frame I 2. The husk holding members I6 may be formed at the same time that the frame I2 is made.

Each of the husk holding members I! comprises a helical loop of more than one turn, being preferably one and one-half turns in length. A substantial portion I9 (Fig. 5) of the first turn of the loop facing outwardly of the frame I2 lies in a plane perpendicular to the axis of the helix, in order to facilitate positioning of a miniature lamp husk I 8 to be held therein. The inside diameter of the loops should be slightly smaller than the outside diameter of the husk I8 which it is .designed to receive, for reasons which will become apparent as the description proceeds. The husk I8, which is of the usual type well known to the art, may comprise a tapered or rounded base 2 I, a straight walled shank 22 terminating in a shoulder 23 above which the husk is enlarged and flared out Of course, the husks may be of any other desired configuration, and any other husk having a portion adapted to be engaged by a loop may be employed.

To support the frame I2 in an erect position when assembled, I mayprovide a U-shaped wire member 25 attached as by soldering or welding to the center of the frame base I4 and disposed in the plane of the triangle.

The frame I2 is held to of a tubular trunk member 26 having diametrically opposed slots 21 in the lower portion thereof adapted to receive the frame base I4 and engage the legs 28 of the U-shaped member 25.

The base may be provided with a well 29 into which the lower portion of the trunk is frictionally inserted. An inwardly turned marginal fiangefifl may be formed at the base of the well to limit the insertion of the trunk 26 and U-shaped member 25. A Christmas tree lighting outfit comprising, in the embodiment herein shown, nine husks containing series connected sockets is employed for illuminating the side arms I6 and apex I5 of the tree.

The various elements of the tree may be assembled in the following manner: Each husk I8 of the Christmastree outfit is inserted in sequence into a husk holding member by placing the base M of the husk in thehelical loop and pushing on the flared top 24, thus forcing the shank 22 into the stand I I by means the loop until the shoulder 23 abuts the portion I9 of the loop. During thisoperation the helix is slightly expanded. In such expanded condition, the loop exerts a uniform constrictive and binding force about the circumference of the shank, firmly holding the husk against angular and axial displacement except when the husk is urged outward by pressure on its base 2 I.

The mid-portions of the electrical connectin cord 3| between consecutive husks 18 may then be wrapped as far as they will go around the portions 32 of the side arms l6 between consecutive husk holding members H. A part of the free end of the connecting cord may also be wrapped around the lower end of the side arms 16 and base l4, as clearly shown in Fig. 2.

The slotted trunk 26 may then be slipped over the frame base l4 and the U-shaped member '25, the legs 23 of said member 25 being received within the slots 21. The free ends of the wire 3| are introduced into the slots 21, where they may be caught between the frame base l4 and ,upper ends 21' of the slots 21. The slotted portion of the trunk 26 and the U-shaped member-25 may next be wedged into the base wall 29 up to the flange 36.

If desired, the u-shaped member 25 may be wedged into the base well 29 up to the flange 30 and the trunk 26 subsequently forced into the well 29, the legs of the U-shaped member being received within the slots 28.

A husk 33, housing a 1l0-volt socket having connecting wires 34, may be frictionally received in the open free end of the trunk 26.

The wires 3| of the Christmas tree set and the wires 34 leading to the .110 volt socket may then be connected in parallel, as indicated in Fig. 4, and a switch 35 in the base H may be inserted in the supply circuit.

Suitable ornamentation such as ruching 38 may be employed to decoratively cover the frame l2, husks l8 and 33 and trunk 26. The-.ruching 38 may comprise a core 39 and decorative material, suitable to the occasion; which may be attached by the core why any of the various means well known to the art. I

In Figs. 1 and 2 thedecorative material is shown as comprising a plurality of narrow paper strips 49 held between a pair of twisted members forming the core 39. It is to be understood, however, that other decorative materialssuch as slitted or unslitted paper, cloth or Cellophane webs, or real or artificial leaves, berries and the like may also be employed without departing from the spirit of my invention.

The ruching 38 is wound helically around the frame l2, adjacent turns of thecore 39'being relatively closely spaced so that covered portions of the frame appear to be solid cylinders of .the decorative material comprising the ruching. The winding may start at any point of the frame such as Al (Fig. 2) on a side arm section 32 between husk holding members l1, and proceed helically about the axis of the arm until it reaches a husk I8. The ruching is then wrapped in a cylinder about the husk [8 to present a halo-like effect around the socket receiving portion 24. The winding may then proceed alternately about the side arm sections 32 and husks l8. Ruching may also be wrapped helically about the trunk member 26 to complete the covering of the tree skeleton.

Miniature 15-volt electric lamps 42 are inserted in the frame sockets, and a-110-volt electric spaced intervals along lamp 43 inserted in the socket in the trunk husk 33, whereupon the tree is ready for use.

In Figs. 7 and 8 I have shown a modified form of my invention employing a reinforced wire framework having parallel connected electric lamps 64 held therein. The frame 50 may be fabricated from a length of wire whose ends may be permanently joined as at 5! by soldering or welding centrally of the frame base 52. The side arms 53 and apex 54 are provided with integrally formed husk holding members 55 having a configuration similar to that described with reference to Figs. 2, 3 and 5. The frame may be of triangular outline, as indicated in Fig. '7, the husk holding members 55 being disposed at uniformly the side arms 53.

In this form of my invention, I provide a reinforcing member 55 which comprises a U- shaped pendent member 51 whose legs 58 adjacent their upper ends lie in deep grooves formed in the frame base 52. The wire forming the reinforcing member 56 is bent outwardly from the upper end of the U-shaped member 51 to form the base 59 of the reinforcing member. The bases 52 and 59 of the frame and reinforcing member may be juxtaposed as indicated in Fig. '7. The reinforcing member 56 is also provided with a pair of side arms 69 parallel to and spaced from the side arms 53 of the frame'50. If desired, a pair of out-turned legs Bl may be provided at the upper ends of the side arms 60. To brace the apex 54 of the frame 55 and tie the upper ends of the side arms 60, a strut 62 may be provided abutting the legs 61 and bridging the side arms 53. Struts 53 may also be used to space the side arms 53 and 69 of the frame and reinforcing member. The struts 62 and 63, the frame 59 and reinforcing member may be permanently joined to each other in any suitable manner, as by welding or soldering at their several points of contact.

The reinforced framework may be mounted in the base, provided with illuminating means and ornamented in a manner the same as that described with reference to Figs. 1 to 6. The electric lamps 64, in this form ofmy invention, may be connected in parallel, as indicated in Fig. 8.

A switch 65 may be employed to control the lights 64.

Although I have shown and described my invention as applied to a decorative illuminated device in the form of a symbolic Christmas tree, it is to be understood that the skeletal structure may assume other shapes, suchas for example that of a circle or a star.

It will thus be seen that there is provided a device in which the several objects of this invention are achieved, and which is well adapted to meet th conditions of practical use.

As various possible embodiments might be made of the above invention, and as various changes might be made in the embodiments above set forth, it is to be understood that all matter herein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. A decorative illuminating device-including a tubular member having axial diametrically opposed slots extending inwardly from one of the ends thereof, a base having a well to frictionally receive the slotted end portion of said tubular member, a terminal flange on said well, a skeletal wire structure comprising a triangular frame, a

plurality of spaced helical loops integral with the side arms of said triangular frame, means to hold said structure rigidly and erect in said base, said mean comprising a U-shaped member depending centrally from the base of said triangular frame, the legs of said member contacting the walls of said slots and the base of said member contacting said terminal flange, and a plurality of husks disposed in said helical loops, said husks having shank portions whose outer diameter is slightly larger than th inner diameter of said loops.

2. A decorative illuminating device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the legs of said U-shaped member frictionally engage the walls of said well.

3. A decorative illuminating device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the axes of said loops are transverse to the axes of said side arms and wherein a winding of ruching covers said side arms and said husks, the axis of the winding covering the side arms being coincident with the axis of said side arms, and the axes of the winding covering the husks being coincident with the axes of said husks, whereby halos of ruching surrounding the husks are provided which are transverse to the ruching surrounding the side arms.

4. A decorative illuminating device as set forth in claim 1, wherein means are provided to reinforce said triangular frame.

5. A decorative illuminating device comprising a base, a skeletal wire structure, and an elongated member having an elongated slot substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of said member, said member connecting said Wire structure and said base, said base having a well within'which the slotted portion of said connecting member is received, said skeletal structure having a projecting portion with an edge disposed in said slot, said edge being substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of said member and contacting the walls of said slot.

6. A decorative illiuninating device comprising a base, a skeletal wire structure, and a slotted member having a pair of oppositely disposed slots substantially arallel to the longitudinal axis of said member, said member connecting said wire structure and said base, said base having a well within which the slotted portion of said connecting member is received, said skeletal structure having a pair of spaced rigidly interconnected portions disposed in said elongated member and bridging said slots, said portions contacting the Walls of said slot.

LEO POLLOCK. 

